Spark-plug.



G. V. NOLTE & J. E. SMI TH.

SPARK PLUG. Armcmo'u nLgo P126. m1.

1,249,465. Patented Dec. 11,1917.

Fig.1

ywye 2 770% an a INVENTORS BY %am'a6 ATTORNEY.

. Im rovements in Sp which- 'lursQ", 29,2" leaving three.

require the its lower end closed UNITED STATES OFFICE.

GEOBGE V. NOLTE AND JAMES E. SMITH, OF IBELLINGHAH, WAS HINGTON.

SPARK-PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

Application filed September 6, 1917. Serial No. 189,944.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Gnome V. NOLTE and JAMES E. SMITH, citizens of the United States, and residents oi Bellingham, in the county of Whatcom and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful ark-Plugs, of which the 0 owing is a speclfication.

Our invention relates to improvements inignit'ion plu for use in, so called, semi- Diesel, interior-combustion engines which services of an ignition plug only at short and infrequent intervals; and the objects of our invention are: first, to provide an i ition plug the element of which, when desired, can be shielded from the injurious action of the violently moving gases in the moved and replaced during the normal operations of the engine; and third, which is so constructed thatlits engaged, threaded parts,

which are exposed to carbonization, will free themselves during their operation.

, We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

Figure 1 is an elevation view of the comg llete plug; Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. -1; i is an elevation wea of the cage and v ve, having its central part broken away; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan vlew ofFig. 3; Fig. 5 is atop lan view of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Fig, 1 on the line b.-b,' Fig. 7 is an elevation view of the electrode; and Fig.

Similar characters of reference relate to similar arts in the several views.

Certain parts are broken away in order to show other parts hidden thereby.

The hollow stud 1 has a thread d lower end 1 for engagement w..h a tapped hole properly located in the cylinder-mot shown, a hexagonal head 1 for engagement with a wrench, and a valve seat 1 on its lower end, Cage 2 Q hasa hollow cylindrical shank 2. of sn'lallcr diameter than the main body-2, which isthreaded on its upper part and has ing connectedto the main body by threepibthe jsnrne; The nppcr periplnrl'y 2' of. Iini'shci'lto form a valve suited for valve-seat ewe-"mini s 8 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 on the linear-a.

. proved plug.

upper end 5 threaded. On this threaded end a binding nut 5 and also a cylindrical nut 7 are engaged. Between nut 7 and a circular boss 5, near the lower end of the electrode, is clamped the insulating covering comprisin 'the main cylindrical body 7, the smaller .cy indrical body 'i' above and the bushing 7". at the lower end. A beveled, metallic washer 7 is retained'on the lower endof said insulating body by said bushing 7 Washer 7-serves as a valve and is finished to niake a closure on valve seat 2 in cage 2", 2. A resilient, heat resistant ring 9 on the cage shank 2 beneath hand wheel 3 is placed to bear on the top of 1 when cage 2, 2 is extended to its dotted position. T be lower end 5 of electrode 5 is encircled with helical element 6 one end of which is electrically connected to the lower end of 5 and the upper end of which is electrically con nected to metallic washer 7. Said 'elemcnt establishes electrical connection between electrode 5 and stud 1 when washer 7 is seated on 2. Nut 4 is suited to bear on the shoulder between 7 and 7 and engage nvith threaded body 2' to cause 7 to bear on 2 and retain the electrode in operative position in cage 2*,2. Set screw 4 serves to retain nut 4 in operative position. On the outside of cage 2", 2 extending lon itndinnll'y across the threads of 2 and as ar as one of the open ings through the walls of said cage is groove 2" as deep'a's said threads. On the inside of stud 1 is longitudinal groove l cxtending entirely across the threads therein z ndbcing as dee. as said threads.

Grooves I and 2 register when and 8. i i

- n describing the opcrnthnr of. ,our, iln' i it is assumed that stint-cl s engine cylinder properly attached an the valve 2" is seated, see? Figs. 3.

and that-one terminal of a uitable sourceg of electricitvxi flConner-toll to elect-rod .1 b

chunpingunder'nnt T1 and the other 'tc' 'lin' hill of said source ot' elcct-ririty k-lcctricnllyJ 7 connected to some nhbt'jdf'lhocnglncframe take. it to it This (muse 111-0.. whore: hot i-clciiicnfid s as usual. Ordinarily tion is not only important 2", 2", 2 and will cause the same to explode the services of an ignition plug are not needed except in starting engines of the above type. After the engine is satisfactorily in operation, hand wheel 3 is revolved to take it back to its full line position in Fig. 1 which i' etracts cage 2", 2 to -its full-line position where valve 2 is seated on 1 and element 6 is completely shut 011' from contact with the violently agitated and heated ases in the cylinder. The electric current Enough said element can now be discontinued by opening the switch usually supplied for that purpose and said element is allowed to rest until its services are'a'gain required to ignite the cylinder gases when it is again. protracted as before. To remove the electrode and element for ex amination, repair or replacement during the operation of the engine: set screw 4* is loosened, and nut 4 is unscrewed when said electrode and element can be removed while valve 2" effects a closure between the cages interior and the engine cylinder.

\Vhile the cage is protracted, engaged thrcadedbodies 1 and 2 are exposed to the cementing influence of the carbon-bearing gases which may intrude. To prevent the setting together of these threaded surfaces grooves '1 and 2 are provided. \Vhen said cage is turned, deposits of carbon on said threads are scraped off and enter said grooves from where-they are expelled by the pressure within the engine cylinder whenever said grooves register in passing.

Protection of the ignition element from the injurious effects of exposure to the operative conditions within the cylinder during lon periods of time is thus easily accomplis ed by our construction. Furthermore the convenient means of removing and replacing said element during engine operawhen operating engines of the semi-Diesel t pc but will be found very useful during tie operation of multi-cylinder gasolene engines. There-fore, wedo .not limit ourselves to the exclusive application ofour invention to semi-Diesel engines. v

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to ,secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination, the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, a protractile and -cp1el '0: m. potentials be obtained m m cent: mi, 11', addressing the Washington, at."

rctractile electrode cage attached thereto, an electrode retained within said cage, and an ignition element electrically connected to said electrode within said ca e.

2. In combination, the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, a protractile and retractile cage attached thereto, an electrode retained within said cage, an ignition element electrically connected to said electrode within said cage, and means to seal the interior of said cage from communication with the interior of said engine cylinder.

3. In combination, the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine, a protractile and retractile electrode cage attached thereto, an electrode retained within said cage, an ignition element electrically connected to said electrode within said cage, means to seal theinterior of said cage from communication with the interior of said engine cylinder, and means to remove and replace said electrode with said element without breaking said seal.

4. In combination, the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine; a hollow, cylindrical, threaded stud, having a valve seat on its inner end, engaged with said engine cylinder; a hollow, cylindrical, perfora ed cage, having a closed inner end, engaged within said stud in screw relation therewith, said closed end fitted to seat on said valve seat; an insulated electrode within said cage; and an ignition element electrically connected to said electrode within theperforated part of said cage.

5. In combination, the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine; a hollow, cylindrical stud in screw engagement with said engine cylinder, having an interior threaded body intersected with a longitudinal groove; and a hollow, cylindrical, perforated cage, having a threaded outer body in screw engagement with the interior threaded body of said stud, said threaded outer body having a longitudinal groove intersecting the threads of the same.

Signed at Bellingham Whatcom and State of IVashington this 31st day of August A. D. 1917-.

GEORGE V. N OLTE. JAMES E. SMITH. Witness:

P. S. SIMPsoN. I

commissioner of in the county of 

